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Nether Spirit
Nether Spirits are semi-sapient magic-based creatures native to the Nether. It is unknown how they came into existence, but they have evolved to become some of the most dangerous, and prominent, creatures residing within the hellish realm. History As a mostly non-intelligent species with no civilization or known language, there is no recorded history of Nether Spirits. As such, recorded history of Nether Spirits are based solely on Human interaction with them. For thousands of years, and even still in modern times, most believe Nether Spirits to be nothing more than a myth, a monster that parents warn their kids about to keep them away from the Nether. There are several stories from ancient times about human interaction with hellish, evil beings that are now believed to have been based on early Nether Spirit interaction. The most notable, provable, interaction with Spirits began in the 40s in Voldrania, as the first Void Rifts began appearing. There were only a few at first, such as Nem and the Cuttlefish, but as time went on more minor spirits began appearing and partaking in the growing "Nether Conspiracy". In 60 AE a Nether Spirit attack accompanied the Fall of Voldrania, but the entire calamity was prevented when the Inversion intervened, but not before Voldrania's destruction. Spirit sightings didn't stop after this, they only became more frequent. The surviving Voldranians settled in New Voldrania, where they discovered several other hostile species and Spirits that already existed in the region. Over the next decade the residents of New Voldrania worked together to try and prepare for the Void Devourer's next attack, which finally came in 74 AE in an event known as the "Nether War". Accompanying the Devourer's invading forces were countless lesser Spirits and several Powerful spirits that poured into the Overworld either through rifts or portals. Most of these Spirits were easily defeated due to the nations stockpiles of Glowstone, but the Devourer's spirit forces caused unmeasurable levels of mayhem regardless. When the Nether War was won in 76 AE most Nether Spirits were forcible dragged back into the Nether, as they had only been able to interact with the Overworld through the Devourer's influence. With the Devourer dead they were no longer able to maintain a connection to the realm. Some, however, were able to remain in the Overworld, but with the Devourer no longer controlling them they spread out and have only been seen rarely since. General Personalities Generally speaking, there are two "types" of Nether Spirits: Lesser and Powerful. Lesser Nether Spirits are essentially animals, and possess no real intelligence apart from their base instincts. They are still extremely dangerous, but are typically incapable of leaving the Nether or overcoming the defenses of a properly prepared individual. Powerful Spirits, on the other hand, can have levels of intelligence ranging between that of a child or a scholar. These Spirits are rare, and typically rank among the most powerful or dangerous creatures known to humanity. One thing all Nether Spirits share in common, though, is an instinctual drive to hurt, kill, or hunt the species of the Overworld, often leading to the generalization that "All Nether Spirits are evil". While it is more complicated than this, there are no altruistic Nether Spirits in existence. Fortunately, they are typically unable, or unwilling, to work with others of their kind, so it is rare that one will ever have to deal with more than a single Nether Spirit at a time. The most notable exception to this rule was observed during the Nether War, which saw the Devourer command an army of largely lesser Spirits to do its bidding. General Abilities and Weaknesses Abilities Nether Spirits are one of the single most attuned species when it comes to magic; there are no known spirits unable to use magic at some level. It is theorized by some that Nether Spirits are actually made up of magic, and as mystic beings they have a far stronger connection to mystic abilities than an organic being could ever hope to. The ability most commonly associated with Nether Spirits is their universal power to possess Humans and other sentient species from the Overworld, barring Testificates. While this possession can be easily prevented, or even ended, through the use of glowstone, it is the Nether Spirits most dangerous and terrifying weapon. A spirit can either fully possess a mortal and control all of their actions, or "share" control with the host body in a process called the "Orbit". The Orbit is an extremely dangerous practice usually only seen on the Ralkish island Chothral, but if done properly then the pair are able to access a much more refined, and dangerous, set of magic, making them powerful mystic warriors. Despite their shared possession ability, no two Nether Spirits are the same in terms of what they can do. Many are able to shapeshift, use telepathy or psychic powers, access general or elemental magics, or any other number of things, but it always varies based on the Spirit. Most Nether Spirits are unable to control or even access the full extent of their powers, which they are able to only through the Orbit. Additionally, not all Spirits share the ability to cross over into the Overworld. Only a rare few Spirits have the capability to use Nether Portals, and even fewer can travel between the realms at will. As such, Nether Spirit sightings in the Overworld have been historically rare, but have been on the rise since the first Void Rifts began appearing in the late 40s. It is believed that an increased number of Spirits were able to cross into the Overworld through these rifts, which was again evidenced by the increased rate of Spirits in the Overworld during the Nether War. Weaknesses As dangerous as Nether Spirits are, they all share a weakness to Glowstone. While Glowstone does not typically cause a Nether Spirit to shrivel and die it does prevent them from utilizing their possession ability, and it has been observed that it can cause them varying levels of pain, as well. There is an observable difference based on the quantity of Glowstone, but typically it only takes a little bit of dust to begin weakening a spirit. There are many theories as to why Nether Spirits are harmed by Glowstone, but the prevailing theory has to do with Glowstone's restorative properties. When Humans are exposed to Glowstone they experience a boost to their bodies immune system and healing capabilities, but it is believed that these same processes, when applied to Nether Spirits, actually cause them harm rather than regeneration. While not technically a "weakness", it has been observed that Nether Spirits are unable to phase through Soul Sand within the Nether. If they try to, they are trapped within it and are unable to escape naturally. It is unknown how many spirits are trapped within the sands of the Nether or what happens to them when they are, as none are bold enough to attempt to study or release any potentially trapped Spirits. It is possible, though, to utilize Soul Sand as a defense mechanism to trap Spirits when Glowstone is unavailable. Spirits are also more vulnerable to magic than they are to physical attacks. It is believed that an adept mortal mage can actually tear apart a weaker lesser spirit using only their mystic abilities, further supporting the theory that they are made up of magic. This strategy would not work on a powerful spirit, or even most lesser spirits, though. See Also *Notable Nether Spirits Category:Nether Category:Species